This invention relates to an electrical connector having a locking function for maintaining a connected state.
A thin-type electronic apparatus such as a notebook-type personal computer may be provided with a liquid crystal display. In order to connect the liquid crystal display, use is made of various types of connectors. Following a demand for further reduction in thickness of the electronic apparatus, the liquid crystal display used therein is also reduced in thickness. This requires the reduction in thickness of the connector for connecting the liquid crystal display. In the connector having a reduced thickness, however, the connection strength may not be sufficiently large. In order to augment or reinforce the connection strength, the connector in a connected state is often fixed by the use of a tape or adhered by the use of an adhesive.
On the other hand, a locking structure for maintaining an ordinary connector in a connected state is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-302893 (JP 10-302893 A). However, the locking structure requires a large displacement and a large operating force in order to operate its operating portion. After all, the use of the locking structure makes it difficult to reduce the thickness of the connector. Thus, it is inappropriate or disadvantageous to use the locking structure in the connector for connecting the liquid crystal display.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an electrical connector which has a locking function but can easily be reduced in thickness.
It is another object of this invention to provide an electrical connector of the type in which an unlocking operation is easy.
Other objects of the present invention will become clear as the description proceeds.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical connector including a first and a second connector fitted to each other in a first direction. The first connector comprises a locking member extending in the first direction and displaceable in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a lever extending from the locking member in a third direction perpendicular to the first and the second directions, a protruding portion protruding from the lever in the second direction, and an unlocking arm extending in the first direction and displaceable in the third direction. The locking member has an engaging portion to be engaged with the second connector in the first direction. The unlocking arm has a cam portion for pressing the protruding portion in the second direction when the unlocking arm is displaced in the third direction. The second connector has a locking portion to be engaged with the engaging portion in the first direction when the first and the second connectors are fitted to each other. Engagement between the engaging portion and the locking portion being released when the protruding portion is pressed by the cam portion to displace the locking member in the second direction through the lever.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plug connector which comprises a locking member extending in a first direction and displaceable in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a lever extending from the locking member in a third direction perpendicular to the first and the second directions, a protruding portion protruding from the lever in the second direction, and an unlocking arm extending in the first direction and displaceable in the third direction. The locking member has an engaging portion to be engaged with a receptacle connector in the first direction. The unlocking arm has a cam portion for pressing the protruding portion in the second direction when the unlocking arm is displaced in the third direction. Engagement between the engaging portion and the receptacle connector is released when the protruding portion is pressed by the cam portion to displace the locking member in the second direction through the lever.